Havas Red has been shortlisted in two categories at Marketing Interactive’s Hashtag Australia Awards, recognising the agency’s work with Toyota Australia across Best Always-On Engagement Strategy and Best Community-Led Brand Strategy.
While the nominations are a proud moment for the team, they also reflect the role social media now plays in modern communications and marketing. Social media is no longer simply a communications channel. It is a business-critical platform for building relevance, trust and long-term customer relationships.
The implications of that shift are significant. When social is viewed as a business function rather than a marketing output, success is no longer measured solely by campaign performance. It is measured by a brand’s ability to build relationships, foster advocacy and maintain relevance over time.
At Havas Red, our approach has always been grounded in a simple belief: social media is most effective when it helps brands build relationships, not just reach. While campaigns play an important role, lasting impact comes from creating relevance, trust and connection over time.
This philosophy sits at the heart of our work with Toyota Australia. Across a partnership spanning almost a decade, our role has extended beyond campaign delivery to building an always-on social ecosystem that brings together strategy, content, creator partnerships, community management, audience insight and cultural relevance.
The objective is simple: create meaningful connections with audiences at every stage of the customer journey. Whether helping Australians discover a vehicle, understand new technologies and powertrain options, explore lifestyle passions or deepen their connection with Toyota over time, social plays an important role in shaping perceptions and building trust.
For a brand as broad and diverse as Toyota, that means showing up in ways that are relevant to different communities, interests and life stages while maintaining a consistent brand experience across every touchpoint.
Whether through content, creators or community engagement, our focus is on helping brands build meaningful connections with audiences in moments that matter to them.
The increasing influence of creators has only reinforced this thinking. Influencer partnerships today are at their most effective when they move beyond endorsements and into genuine storytelling. The creators who drive meaningful impact are those who can connect brands to communities in ways that are credible, relevant and culturally resonant.
As social continues to evolve, the fundamentals remain the same. People connect with brands that understand them, reflect their interests and contribute meaningfully to the conversations and communities they care about.
That’s the thinking that continues to guide our work and the reason we’re proud to see it recognised by the Hashtag Australia Awards.
As Joanne Ng, Executive Director, Social at Havas Red, explains:
“We believe the future of social isn’t built on one-off moments. It’s built through consistent presence, genuine participation and communities that grow over time.
We’re incredibly proud of the Redsters who brought this work to life, and grateful to Toyota Australia for their continued partnership and trust.”
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